The Classroom

Beyond the waiting room, we come to a series of small rooms that have been set up as models for a variety of functions, the first one as a school of nursing classroom. This classroom looks much like any classroom from the 1920's and 30's. The portrait on the back wall is of Ms. Annie McDonald, former Director of Nursing, done shortly before her death. The other picture in this room is of Linda Richards who was the first graduate nurse in the United States. She worked at the New England Hospital for Women and Children (also known as Boston Floating Hospital), now a part of the New England Medical Center.

The picture of a maternity floor in this room was probably used to demonstrate proper aseptic techniques. Notice that everyone in the photo is wearing a mask. Most of the mothers in that ward were unwed mothers, some of whom kept their babies while others gave them up for adoption.

The medical instruments which you see here are typical of the era. Near the far door is a woolen nurse's cape. The cape was given to a student nurse as part of her uniform.